Día de los Muertos felt different this year. I didn’t feel like celebrating, the day after I got news of Josh’s passing Sunday night. Still, I took part in activities as I like the tradition and the artistry.

Alan and I took a trip to San Francisco to celebrate his birthday. While in the SF, we briefly hung out with Rio as he helped set up this year’s Day of the Dead show at SomArts, Altars for the Spirits/Offerings for the Living. We met some of the artists and checked out the arts/crafts room where visiting schoolchildren make their own Day of the Dead-inspired art.

After a visit to Profe R’s class to discuss blogging and the metiche factor (to be discussed later), he treated Pachuco3000, El Random Hero, and me to to dinner. Afterward, he headed over to Brooklyn and Boyle’s opening for Muertos de la Guerra/War Dead show.

Thanks to Erick/ERH, I had no shortage of events to choose from for Día de los Muertos. After getting all dressed up for Halloween, Alan and I checked out some events on Sunday evening.

We headed out to East LA for the Día de los Muertos music and art festival at El Gallo Plaza. It looked promising, but once we got through the line and were inside, we were a little bored.

The paintings and altares (including Art Hernández’s Michael Jackson memorial) were cool, but we weren’t feeling the corporate atmosphere.

We left before La Santa Cecilia performed, but watched as they were interviewed by Al Borde.

The big event in East LA is always Self Help Graphics’ Día de los Muertos celebration. I missed the procession, but got to the East LA Civic Center in time to catch the end of the Stylishly Dead show, MC’ed by Pachuco3000 (dressed as a muerto mariachi vampiro). I felt a bit underdressed or like a Muertos underachiever after checking out the neat outfits people were wearing. They get into it (also, check out Wendy’s video). I went the more simple route and had my face painted.

The highlight at Self Help was finally catching a live show by Girl in a Coma.